Inactive Kalkfeld business park expands

A SHOP and fuel station were opened for business at the dormant Kalkfeld settlement business park outside Otjiwarongo on Wednesday.

The shop and fuel station were opened by Otjozondjupa governor, Otto Ipinge who told the community members that the two businesses are expected to ignite new life into the underutilised business park.

The park was constructed by the government under the Namibia Development Corporation (NDC) at a cost of over N$14 million between 2012 and 2014.

In October 2018, NDC leased the park consisting of community business stalls, a food court, public toilets, shop and fuel station to the Otjozondjupa Regional Council for a period of six years for free.

The regional council was also expected to lease the facilities in the park to the general public.

A large part of the park remains unoccupied for nearly two years now due to some unfinished work such as the installation of water and prepaid electricity meters.

Ipinge expressed delight in seeing a local businessman and farmer in the area of Kalkfeld, Gunther Kahl, investing in the service station at the settlement.

“I would like therefore to call on other local business people here to emulate this good example and open up other businesses inside this Kalkfeld NDC building,” he said.

Kahl, on his part, said a total of six residents of Kalkfeld have already secured permanent jobs at the service station and he plans to employ more.

Kahl is part of the Ekundi Farming and Transport Company, and said the Kalkfeld service station will be known as the Ekundi Shell Service Station.

Kalkfeld is situated about 70 kilometres west of Otjiwarongo and was proclaimed a village council in 1991, but downgraded to a settlement in 1996, because of a lack of development activities and growth.

– Nampa